State Innovation Grants Solicitation, 2002

Information from the 2002 State Innovation Grants

EPA has selected six projects for funding under its FY 2002 State
Innovation Pilot Grant Competition. The grant program is designed
to support state innovation and address key environmental priorities
identified in EPA's Innovation Strategy (Innovating for Better Environmental Results:
A Strategy to Guide the Next Generation of Environmental Protection).
Specifically for FY 02, EPA requested projects that test innovative
permitting approaches by using incentives to motivate "beyond-compliance"
environmental performance or move whole sectors toward improved
environmental performance and promise to demonstrate results in
2 - 3 years.

The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality will develop
a web-based system that will simplify and expedite storm water
permitting. This GIS-based product will automatically assess the
applicant's permitting status and provide notification about what
is needed to ensure compliance.

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental
Control will develop an innovative permitting approach for a small
business sector that is facing new air quality requirements -
auto body repair shops. This approach is based on the Massachusetts
Environmental Results Program and will use an integrated system
of multi-media compliance assistance, self-certification, and
performance measurement to assess and promote compliance with
environmental requirements across a sector.

Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection will develop
a watershed-based permitting system to integrate non-point-source
control with point-source permitting to achieve a nutrient TMDL.
This project integrates an innovative permitting approach with
strong community partnership to adopt strategies that complement
point source controls for the protection of the Assabet River,
a National Heritage River.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will
develop a pilot a multi-facility permitting project that would
implement a whole-facility EMS approach to achieve performance
beyond regulatory compliance (announced Oct. 30, 2003).